It's time to raise a glass to the world's most popular sparkling wine for the fourth annual National Prosecco Week, and what better way than with a new bottle backed by one of fashion's most notable names?
Vera Wang is synonymous with celebrating life's big occasions, so her foray into producing an effervescent, premium Italian prosecco with a sleek, modern bottle design is an organic extension for her brand.
"It's one of, if not the most popular drink at a wedding today, globally. Being someone that's gotten involved in a few weddings in my life, there was such a direct connection for me. It just felt so natural and totally inherent to what we do," Wang explained during a virtual launch and press call to pop the news of her prosecco.
PARTY was born of the idea "to create a drink for weddings and other celebrations that we thought would be light and fun," Wang said.
But as everyone was impacted by the pandemic, she explained during a virtual launch party, one of the points she wanted to connect on was the notion that "it's about celebrating life -- whether it's by yourself with a party of one, me, or you could be celebrating the small moments of your life -- not simply milestones but every day."
The ready-to-wear bridal designer has "really fond memories with prosecco" and said although it's her first time wading into the world of wine, the concept and production process that began two years ago reminded her of perfume.
"It's most equated with fragrance -- because it's about the juice," she said.
She added that the bottle and package combined "has to be cohesive, it has to tell a story," like in fashion.
She continued, "There's so much creativity in the world of spirits and alcohol, in branding, advertising, and packaging so it is very challenging, but also very exciting."
PARTY comes in a metallic silver wrapped bottle with a bright pop of neon yellow, a creative way for Wang to infuse her 32 years of her fashion and lifestyle expertise into the new design that retails for $25.
"I wanted a graffiti aspect to it, which we used in the font for PARTY. The bottle is metallic inspired -- a very unique look for a prosecco," she said. "This bottle in metal color was permitted by the Italian Federation."
To craft the sparkling wine made of 100% Glera grapes, the fashion entrepreneur tapped Araldica's second-generation winemaker Claudio Manera -- one of Italy's fastest-growing producers within the well-known Piemonte region -- who also produces the best-selling Moscato in America.
"At Araldica we celebrate our roots, land and people, balancing our drive for innovation with respect to tradition," Manera said in a statement. "Vera Wang has our same philosophy, making this collaboration organic for us. This wine speaks to her fresh perspective, taste, passion and dedication to crafting a premium prosecco."
The prosecco has a fine bead of bubbles and aromas of apple and stone fruit with a taste of citrus notes and fresh acidity on the palate, but a soft and pear finish.
The sparkling wine is widely used to raise a glass at a wedding or add some fizz to a summer spritz cocktail. In Wang's eyes, it is meant to create "a bit of joy, celebration, dancing, laughing; things we haven't been able to embrace this past year and a half."
"I think that in a way prosecco represents one side of me, the funnier, crazier side of me that I don't always show," she said. "It really is the side of me that I feel is fun, cheerful, hysterical, crazy, that kind of thing -- this is very, very important as part of my own DNA. Not only just what I do but who I am."
